2021 29th Iranian Conference on Electrical Engineering, May 18-20, 2021, Tehran, Iran

Reactive Power Management of PV Systems by

Distributed Cooperative Control in Low Voltage
Distribution Networks
Saeed Mahdavian Rostami, Mohsen Hamzeh
School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
[email protected], [email protected]

Abstract—This paper presents a decentralized control method for to regulate the voltage level in the distribution system. In [2] and
photovoltaic (PV) systems to improve voltage regulation and [3], The constant power factor (PF) method, PF control of active
2021 29th Iranian Conference on Electrical Engineering (ICEE) | 978-1-6654-3365-5/21/$31.00 ©2021 IEEE | DOI: 10.1109/ICEE52715.2021.9544330

reactive power management in low voltage (LV) distribution power output cos (P), and voltage-dependent reactive power
system with high penetration of PV systems. Drawbacks of existing control Q(V) method are discussed. The Q(V)/P(V) strategy has
reactive power strategies for PV systems are analyzed in this been presented in [4] to further lessen overvoltage when Q(V)
paper. The proposed method obviates these disadvantages by control alone is inefficient. A study of coordinated reactive
incorporating a local reactive power control method in the power control for distribution grid voltage regulation with PV
distributed cooperative control. This approach improves the generation is reported in [5]. A coordinated voltage control
voltage profile of buses, prevents PV systems from active power
method is proposed based on voltage sensitivity analysis in [6]
curtailment, and manages reactive power sharing among PVs
that needs a centralized control if network topology or connected
based on their reactive power ratings. A radial LV distribution
element alter. In [7] and [8], a hybrid reactive power control
system with 7 PV systems is modeled to explore this method.
Simulation results are presented to validate the control method's
method which combines cos (P) and Q(V) is proposed. A
effectiveness for mitigating voltage deviation and accurate centralized control approach for reactive power management
reactive power sharing in the distribution network with the PV with volt-var control but considering inverters’ capacity and
system. sensitivity to the critical bus is presented in [9]. A study presents
two reactive power centralized control methods to exploit the
Keywords— Accurate reactive power sharing, LV distribution networked approach [10].
system, PV system, reactive power management, voltage deviation.
This paper presents a new method to minimize the voltage
deviations during high penetration of PV systems. In this
I. INTRODUCTION
approach, all PV inverters operate at their maximum active
In recent years, the installation of grid-connected distributed power point and participate in reactive power management
energy resources (DERs) has increased in power systems according to the critical bus PV inverter’s reactive power ratio.
because of economic incentives, reducing pollution, decreasing The critical bus PV inverter determines the reactive power ratio
transmission, and distribution losses. Additionally, grid- reference according to the local measured voltage and sends this
connected PV systems have the highest growth rate among the reference to the next (closest) PV inverter through the
renewable energy resources [1]. However, the increasing high communication network. Similarly, the other PV inverters
penetration of PV systems may cause some challenges in LV receive their reference reactive power ratio from their neighbor
distribution networks, such as voltage deviations and reverse PV inverter. Therefore, all PV inverters operate at the same
power flow. In the radial LV distribution network, when PV reactive power ratio. Also, this method prevents active power
systems produce their highest active power and load demand is curtailment because PV systems utilize the unused capacity of
low around noon, a reverse power flow may occur to the grid. inverters.
The reverse power flow might lead to overvoltage. On the other
hand, most of the day, irradiation is lower than its highest limit, The rest of the paper is organized as follows—Section II
so the load demand might be higher than the active power reviews existing reactive power controls of the PV system. The
generation of PV systems. Hence, in this case, the bus voltage proposed reactive power control method is described in section
drops due to the LV distribution network's relatively high III. Simulation results and conclusion are presented in Section
resistance. In these situations, PV inverters can support the IV and V, respectively.
voltage regulation if they can absorb and inject reactive power.
II. REACTIVE POWER CONTROL APPROACHS OF PV SYSTEMS
Therefore, PV inverters should participate in reactive power
sharing to overcome these challenges. Voltage sensitivity analysis can determine the most effective
locations and amounts to serve reactive power for the grid
In general, the LV distribution system controls have three voltage support from the PV systems [11]. Based on the voltage
strategies, such as centralized, decentralized, and local control sensitivity matrix (1), in the radial LV distribution network
strategies. Several methods have been presented in the literature

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 ' ()*+ ,-
shown in Fig. 1, the voltage of the farthest bus from the Bus n
transformer is affected and deviated more than other buses, (farthest bus)
Bus1 Line Line
naming critical bus. The PV systems' active and reactive power
.,/0!% ,1),
variations and loads located farther from the transformer have
more effect on critical bus voltage.

⎡ ⎤
∆ ⎢ ⎥ ∆
∆ ⎢ ⎥ ∆
(1) Load1 PV1 Load n PVn

⎣ ⎦ Fig. 1. Radial LV distribution network.

Many papers are focusing on reactive power control of PV

systems, and the control strategies are summarized in this
section.
The constant power factor method calculates the reference
reactive power of PVs based on equation (2). This approach has
no contribution to reactive power sharing when PV inverters do
not generate active power. Furthermore, this method determines
reference reactive power, irrespective of bus voltage [5].
, tan ! "# $%&& (2)

where , is the consuming or injecting the reactive power

of PV system, is the active power of the PV system, and pf
is a power factor.
As illustrated in Fig. 2, cos (P) control method has some Fig. 2. ! & control method.
advantages compared to the previous method. cos (P) control
strategy absorbs or injects the reactive power based on the active
power output of the PV inverter [2]. In this method, the PV
inverter's power factor varies according to the generated active
power level. The cos (P) control method reduces the power
factor of PV inverters and operates in the inductive region when
their active power generation increases. Nevertheless, this
method absorbs or injects unnecessary reactive power regardless
of voltage bus level. For example, if both the active power of PV
inverters and load demands are high, the inverter absorbs the
reactive power, resulting in system losses increase.
In Q(V) control strategy shown in Fig. 3, the amount of
reactive power of the PV system is determined according to the
voltage deviation of its bus [2], [3]. Based on this method, PV
systems near the critical bus contribute more than other PV
systems to improve the bus voltage. Thus, these PV systems may
saturate with reactive power. On the other hand, voltages of the Fig. 3. Q(V) control strategy.
closer PV systems to the transformer usually are within the dead
band, so they do not contribute to voltage regulation.
Q(V) and cos (P) methods are combined to form cos (P,V)
method to determine reactive power reference for the PV
inverters. Fig. 4 depicts cos (P,V) method [7]. In the recent
method, the rest of PV inverters help the critical bus PV inverter
to regulate voltage. But during high penetration of PV system,
the critical bus PV inverter becomes saturated, while other PV
inverters have unused reactive power capacity.
A central reactive power management system (CRPMS) has
been incorporated in cos (P,V) method to solve the saturating
problem of the critical bus PV inverter. In this method, when the Fig. 4. ! , & control approach. (a) C2 is determined by voltage. (b) PF
critical bus PV inverter is saturated, the CRPMS sends a signal is determined by P and C2.

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 go
Lfi

qU
U
to the closest PV inverter through communication links to
operate at its lowest PF limit. If the closest inverter’s reactive
Current qU∗ PV
power is not sufficient, the CRPMS commands the next PV
gp
controller Rfi
Inverter
U
gpU , goU
inverter, which has the highest sensitivity to operate at its lowest

grU
limit. The other PV inverters operate based on cos (P,V)
qrpU , qroU
/l /mn qrU
method [9]. However, PV inverters do not operate in the same
ratio of / 234 according to this strategy.
III. PROPOSED REACTIVE POWER CONTROL METHOD

/l /mn
PV systems are voltage source inverter (VSI) that can
operate as current-controlled voltage source inverters (CCVSIs)
to adjust their generated power. The block diagram of a CCVSI
is shown in Fig. 5. CCVSIs own an internal current controller Fig. 5. The block diagram of a CCVSI.

qrpU
that controls the direct and quadrature components of the VSI
+
output current. The block diagram of the current controller is
{] pU +
gp +
x

qUpU
x
∗
shown in Fig. 6 [12].
In LV distribution networks, the ratio of 5/7 of lines is low;
U _. _.

− −
x x

therefore, the use of conventional method based on droop gpU yz U

strategy may lead to the reactive power injected or absorbed
cannot be well shared. The proposed method's purposes are goU
qroU
improving the voltage profile of buses, prevention of PV
+
systems active power curtailment, and accurate reactive power
{] oU +
go +
x

qUoU
x
∗
sharing among PVs based on their reactive power ratings. To
U _. _.
−
illustrate, all PV inverters’ ratio of reactive power is calculated
+
x x
according to the ratio of / 234 of the PV system, which
locates at the critical bus. In this paper, the proposed method goU yz U

gpU
combines the Q(V) characteristic curve with the distributed
cooperative control to regulate voltage buses.
The proposed reactive power control method utilizes a Q(V) Fig. 6. The block diagram of the current controller.
characteristic curve to calculate the reactive power ratio
reference for PV located at the critical bus. Equation (3)
determines the reactive power ratio reference for critical bus PV. that only communication links between neighboring agents are

+1, ≤ 0.9
required [13], [14].
⎧
⎪"DEFGHK "L.MN&
The general form of the distributed cooperative control can

⎪ I.IJ , 0.9 < < 0.95

be presented as follows [13]:

⎪
9FGH

89 0, 0.95 ≤ ≤ 1.05 [\] ^U _ /U` a[` − [U b + cU [L − [U &

⎨
(3)
⎪ "DEFGHK "#.LN&
(5)
`def

⎪ I.IJ9 , 1.05 < < 1.1

where g are the indexes of agent nodes. [U is the information
⎪ FGH
obtained from agent g. /U` is the edge weight between node g
⎩ −1, ≥ 1.1
and node h . (U is the set of indexes of the agents that are
connected with agent g. The pinning gain cU is nonzero for one
where 89 is the reactive power ratio reference for the critical bus agent.
voltage regulation of PV inverter, V is the critical bus voltage, The distributed cooperative control adjusts the control inputs
and 234 is defined as the maximum available reactive power of PV systems such that their output reactive powers satisfy
of PV which locates at critical bus and is calculated as
⋯ 89
# ej

STUVW
Y
− Y 234 # 234 ej
(6)
234 X ZW (4)

where (k , U , 234 U , and 89 are the number of PV systems in

where TUVW X and ZW are the rated PV inverter capacity and
the distributed system, the measured reactive power at the PV
the generated active power of PV, respectively. system’s terminal, the reactive power ratings of ith PV systems,
In order to decouple the reactive power sharing accuracy and reactive power ratio reference, respectively. Therefore, the
with the line impedance, distributed cooperative control objective of the distributed cooperative control is to select PV
exchanges PVs information through communication links. Note

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system control inputs such that the error term ∑`def /U` } −
9f
9FGHf '9U U

• + cU D − 89 K synchronizes to zero [12]. 89 is set

9~ 9f −
q9U
`
x
−
9FGH~ 9FGHf
x
234` go
_ /U` − + cU − 89
U ` U U
9U + _.
PV i
h’(U `def
234U 234` 234U
x (CCVSI i)
by the critical bus PV inverter in (3).
According to [12], the reactive power U can be tuned by

inverters goU , and goU is controlled by go U . go U can be

controlling the quadrature term of the output current of PV
Fig. 7. The block diagram of the reactive power control in PV inverters.

obtained as: 380

"#
go D(9U a[kkf bK a−'9U a[kkf b + q9U b
Line0 Bus1 Line1 Bus2 Line2 Bus3 Line3 Bus4 Line4 Bus5 Line5 Bus6 Line6 Bus7

U (7)
Load1 PV1 Load2 PV2 Load3 PV3 Load4 PV4 Load5 PV5 Load6 PV6 Load7 PV7

Communication links
and
q] rpU goU
Fig. 8. The single line diagram of the three-phase radial LV distribution system.

'9U a[kkf b −
234U
qrpU −7 U 1
− € goU − ygpU − q •
zU z U roU
Case 1 explores the voltage rise, which happens because load
234U
demand is lower than the active power generation, while case 2

qrpU
investigates voltage drop. Voltage drop occurs due to the reason

− aqroU + yz U gpU − ‚ kU goU + ‚ƒkU {oU b

that load demand is higher than active power production. It is

234U z U value is 4650 W during simulations. The rated PV inverter

assumed that all PV systems are identical, and their active power

capacity is 5115 VA. In both cases, at t=0.15 sec, the reactive

power controls are activated, and the load value is 4650 kW
(8)

is modified to 1550 kW + h 0.2 ∗ 1550& kVar. Figs. 9 and 10

and
qrpU ‚ kU
within t=0 to t=0.25 sec. In case 1, at t=0.25 sec, the load value

(9U a[kkf b −
234U z U
(9) show bus voltages while PV inverters operate based on the
proposed method and Q(V), respectively. In the proposed
method, all bus voltages are lower than 1.1 p.u., but in Q(V)
and method, some bus voltages are higher than 1.1 p.u., and some
q9U − ∑`def /U` } − • + cU D − 89 K
9f 9~ 9f PV inverters are saturated with reactive power. Fig. 11 illustrates
9U 9FGHf 9FGH~ 9FGHf PV inverters' reactive power ratio according to the proposed
(10) method and shows all PV inverters operate at critical bus

where 9U ∈ 7 is the coupling gain. It is assumed that the

reactive power ratio.

pinning gain cU ≥ 0 is nonzero for one PV that locates at critical

bus. y is the base angular frequency of the LV radial distributed TABLE I. NETWORK PARAMETERS

380 V
system. Other parameters are shown in Figs. 5 and 6. As a result,
Base voltage
0.16 Ω , 451 μH
all PV inverters operate at critical bus PV inverter’s reactive
power ratio. The block diagram of the reactive power control in Line impedance (Line0)
0.5 Ω , 1353.5 μH
PV inverters is shown in Fig. 7 [12]. Also, maximum power

array. Therefore, gp U determines based on maximum active

Line impedance (Line1-6)
point tracking (MPPT) exploits maximum active power of PV

power of PV systems.
IV. SIMULATION RESULTS
The single line diagram of the distribution system is depicted
in Fig. 8. A three-phase radial LV distribution system with seven
PV inverters and loads at different bus locations of the feeder is
considered for simulation analysis. The line impedance from
each node to the PV inverter is neglected. The network
parameters are brought in Table I. Bus7 is the critical bus
because it is the farthest bus from the transformer. Hence, in the
proposed method, PV7 utilizes Q(V) control strategy, and other
PV inverters operate at the reactive power ratio of PV7. In
contrast, in Q(V) approach, all PV inverters’ reactive power
reference is determined according to the local measured voltage.

Fig. 9. Bus voltages based on proposed method in voltage rise condition.

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Fig. 10. Bus voltages based on Q(V) method in voltage rise condition. Fig. 13. Bus voltages based on Q(V) method in voltage drop condition.

Fig. 11. Q/Qmax of PVs based on proposed method in voltage rise condition. Fig. 14. Q/Qmax of PVs based on proposed method in voltage drop condition.

7450 kW + h 0.2 ∗ 7450& kVar at t=0.25 sec. Likewise the

On the other hand, in case 2, the load value is changed to V. CONCLUSION
This paper has reviewed the existing reactive power control
previous case, the results of this case indicate that the
methods of the PV system in LV distribution network and the
functionality of the proposed method is better than the Q(V)
disadvantages of existing reactive power strategies for PV
method. Figs. 12 and 13 show bus voltages in voltage drop
systems. A new technique was proposed in this paper, which
condition based on the proposed method and Q(V), respectively.
utilizes Q(V) characteristic curve to determine the reactive
Moreover, accurate reactive power sharing in the voltage drop
power ratio reference for critical bus PV, and uses the distributed
condition according to proposed method is illustrated in Fig. 14.
cooperative control in order to all PV inverters operate at critical
bus PV inverter’s reactive power ratio. Therefore, all PV
systems operate at the same reactive power ratio. On the other
hand, in contrast to Q(V) method, the unused reactive power
capacity of PV inverters connected closer to the transformer, is
used to reduce voltage deviation. Simulation results show this
approach is better than Q(V) method in regulation voltage. As
illustrated in simulation results, in Q(V) method, some PV
systems are saturated with reactive power. Besides, the proposed
method could prevent active power curtailment through the
useful use of PV inverters’ unused capacity.
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Fig. 12. Bus voltages based on proposed method in voltage drop condition.

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